


Big Bro Lars

by CaptainJZH



Category: Steven Universe (Cartoon)
Genre: Friendship, Future Fic, Gen, Introspection, Mild Hurt/Comfort, Pink Lars Barriga, Post-Canon
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-04
Updated: 2020-10-04
Packaged: 2021-03-07 22:28:42
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,008
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26815117
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CaptainJZH/pseuds/CaptainJZH
Summary: Steven is feeling stressed, and Lars is there to help.
Relationships: Lars Barriga & Steven Universe
Comments: 1
Kudos: 37





	Big Bro Lars

Lars was just sitting around in the Sun Incinerator’s hangar bay when he felt a familiar tingling run through his hair.

“Heh, good timing,” Lars said as Steven popped out through his hair.

“Hey Lars,” Steven nodded as he landed on the floor in front of him.

“Hey Steven,” Lars greeted. “What’s up?”

“Had to get away,” he explained as he stood up. “I was visiting back home and…” He hesitated.

Lars gestured to a crate of supplies for him and Steven to sit down on. “What happened?” he asked as the two sat.

“I dunno, I guess I got overwhelmed?” Steven said with a nervous shrug. “First it was just me and my dad at the Beach House, then the Gems showed up, then some Gems from Little Homeworld, and  _ suddenly _ I’m surrounded by a makeshift party with everyone talking at once and I felt like I had to get out of there. But I didn’t want to be alone and Connie’s busy with exams so…”

“You’re always welcome, man,” Lars told him. “And I get the feeling. Especially when my family has big gatherings and stuff. They know you’re here?”

“I told them I had to step out for a minute. Which was true at first but then I saw Lion and thought of you. Anyway, whatcha up to?” Steven looked at the scrappy spacecraft sitting in the hangar. “This the Star Skipper Mk. II I’ve heard so much about?”

“Yup! Almost ready for flight. Had to go through hell to find the right engine. Do you know how many space stations I had to raid?”

“Lars, I am literally a member of the Diamond Authority. If you ask, I can probably get you  _ anything.” _

“I thought they relinquished their power over the universe or something?”

“Well  _ yeah,”  _ Steven chuckled, “But bringing peace to the galaxy still gets you a  _ ton  _ of brownie points.”

“Still, piracy is just more  _ fun.  _ Hell, thanks to you it’s a lot easier!”

“It is?”

“Yeah, now when I attack a planet I just have to deal with  _ that  _ planet. I don’t have to worry about all of Homeworld coming after me anymore.”

“Heh, you’re welcome,” Steven nodded.

“...Wanna fly the Star Skipper Mk. II?

“I thought you said it wasn’t ready for flight?”

_ “Almost  _ ready for flight. Which is basically the same as being ready. Besides, you can just bubble your head in case it depressurizes, can’t you?”

“...Yes, but—”

“And you were able to fly the first one as Stevonnie.”

“Well yeah, but that—”

“And it’s a two-seater now! So I can fly with you just in case.”

“What would you do for air?”

Lars shrugged. “I can go a half hour without oxygen, Steven. More than enough time for the Sun Incinerator to get us.”

Steven thought about it for a hot second, and then agreed. “Let’s do it.”

\---

The Star Skipper haphazardly zoomed around the nebula the Sun Incinerator was parked in, as Steven frantically tried to find his bearings.

“How’s she handling?” Lars said, sitting in the backseat.

_ “Not good,”  _ Steven said, fighting the steering wheel for control. “Reminds me of when I was driving the Dondai through the Great North!”

“Don’t fight it!” Lars warned. “You gotta go with the flow, or else you’ll hit a patch of unstable gas and—” An explosion shook the craft’s wing, igniting the starboard engine and making it veer to the left. “—do that.”

_ “Shit, shit, shit,”  _ Steven cursed.

“Okay, now pull the red handle above you!”

Just as the Star Skipper started to spiral out of control, Steven pulled the red fire handle above the pilot’s seat, extinguishing the engine and engaging the inertial dampeners. The craft slowed to a halt.

“Sorry,” Steven said, his eyes wide. To Lars’ surprise, he began to  _ laugh.  _ The laugh was infectious, spreading to Lars himself.

“Heh, we should probably signal the Sun Incinerator to come get us,” Lars said, wiping a tear from his eye.

“Yeah…” Steven said, not really paying attention. He looked out at the stars. “It’s beautiful, isn’t it?”

Lars looked out at them too. “Damn right they are.”

“You ever wonder what our lives would be like if they were normal?” Steven suddenly asked.

“Yeah,” Lars nodded. “Would probably be flunking the 12th grade for the hundredth time.”

“You know what Lars?” Steven began. “I’m glad you died and came back as a pink zombie.”

“I’m glad, too,” Lars chuckled. “I gotta give you props, man. I’ve only been dealing with all this Gem junk for a couple years, and it’s mostly the fun ‘rebel against authority’ stuff. You had to deal with  _ everything  _ since you were, what, 12?”

“Don’t remind me,” Steven sighed. “That’s what my therapist is for.”

“Whatever you pay her, it’s not enough,” Lars half-joked.

_ “Captain, we’ve locked onto your position/We’re heading right for you, sir,”  _ the Rutiles chimed in over the radio.

“Thanks, Rutiles,” Lars responded.

\---

“And in episode 524, Sad Waffle finds out that Bawling Breakfast Sandwich was actually Brawling Burrito, one of the Angry Lunch Enemies,” Steven explained. They were back in the hangar, sitting on crates.

“Wait, really?” Lars asked, having been a closet fan of CBF for some time. Steven had been recapping the latest episodes with each visit. “What happened next?”

“Well that meant that Sad Waffle was a member of the Lunch Entree Dynasty, so he was able to bring peace to the whole kitchen!”

“Wow, feels like the story’s over, then.”

“Nah, there’s a movie coming next year, plus  _ Crying Breakfast Friends: Dessert.” _

“Heh, that’ll be cool,” Lars nodded.

“Yeah…” Steven said. “Welp, I should probably be heading back. I’ll come by next week?”

“You know it!” Lars agreed. He stuck out his fist, bumping it against Steven’s. “Catch you later, Steven.” Lars knelt down, letting Steven step through his head.

Once he was gone, Lars returned to his work on the Star Skipper, but Steven remained on his mind. He was a good kid, in a good place.

Lars knew he deserved it.

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading!


End file.
